Vacuum cleaning apparatus.



L. W. SERRBLL.

VACUUM CLEANING APPARATUS.

7 APPLICATION rum) NOV. a0, 1908. ,210. Patented D60. 20, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

(ha/ i J n/1 0M0 {2nudi 75641220711 L. W. SERRELL.

VACUUM CLEANING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. so, 1908.

Patented Dec.20, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- rllllimys L. W. SERRELL.

VAGUUM CLEANING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. so, 1908.

Patented Dec.20, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ahww/ QFFI A LEMUEL WILLIAM SERRELL, F PLAINFIEL'D, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORTO THE VACUNA- COMPANY, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

VACUUM CLEANING APPARATUS.

Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

Application filed November 30, 1908. Serial No. 465,318.

.or portable in character; an apparatus positive in action and adaptedto be actuatedv by an electric motor on the ordinary circuit of adwelling.

In the device of myinvention, I employ an electrically or otherwisedriven vacuum pump and an electric motor, a separator vessel holdingWater and receiving the moist dust-laden air entering the same, and .aholding platform therefor; means for imparting a rotary movement to thedust laden air, other means for imparting a rotary movement andcomminuted condition to the en-. tering water in proximity to the air,whereby the dust is thoroughly moistened and the added water providesfor a continuous overflow. I provide special devices for controllingthis overflow as waste into the sewer or a receptacle, means forbreaking up the air bubbles in the liquid holding vessel and meansinsuring the retaining of all the moisture in the said vessel.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation and partial sectionrepresentingv the device of my improvement. Figs. 2. 3, 4 and 5 aredetail views of the part of the apparatus providing for the entrance ofthe dust-laden air and moistening the same and hereinafter more fullydescribed. Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are detail views of the devicescontrolling the overflow of water and hereinafter more fully described.Fig. 10 is a vertical section and elevation of a modified form of devicefor controlling the overflow of water.

Figs. 11 and 12 are elevations and partial sections, the one at rightangles to the other, showing a modification of the device I have shownin Fig; 1 the platform a and le S a for the same at the corners. On thisp atform a motor I) is mounted and a belt b extends to a pulley on theshaft of. the rotary vacuum pump a. The motor 12 is to be of any desiredcharacter suitable for use with this a paratus. It will probably bearranged or connection with the electric circuit of a dwelling and therotary vacuum pump a is also to be of any desired pattern or character,as neither the particular character of the motor nor the pump form anyessential part of my invention.

I provide a liquid holding vessel (1 preferably of sheet metal andadvantageously placed in a vertical position and suitably secured to theplatform a.. This vessel is advantageously provided with curved ends orheads d 03 e represents an entrance pipe for the dust laden air and 7 anentrance pipe for water.

9 represents a tubular body having by preference a lower conical end gand together constituting a mixing chamber.

The pipe e enters the tubular body 9 and the pipe f passes through acover f of thesel d, and within this liquid holding vessel d around thepipe i are arranged and spaced apart dperforated diaphragins i inseries. I

e a throat 2 about midway in theprovi height of the vessel d forming anentrance into the valve case k, a septum 3 in the upper part of theliquid holding vessel and a pipe 4 opening from the head or end d of thevessel and extending to'the rotary vacuum pump c. a p

.The septum 3 preferably consists of parallelperforated'plates spacedapart and the spacebetween them filled with exc'elsior, hair orsome..other suitable moisture absorbing material so as to insure the airpassing therethrough from the vessel (Z to the vacuum pump being as dryas possible. I provide a screw plug 5 at'the lower end of the vessel 01I so that upon its removalthe dirty water and sediment from the vessel(1 may be removed and the same thoroughly cleansed out and the vessel isprovided with a means for introducing water.

l have shown a base 0 upon the platform a for supporting the vacuum pump0, a pipe 6 connecting with this base from said pump and extending tothe mufiler 0 This muffler is preferably provided with series ofopenings 7 for discharging the air from the muffler into the atmosphereand with a dis charge valve 8 atits lower end. From the valve case is apipe k extends downward and with an elbow connects with the pipe iswhich passes to a suitable receptacle or to the sewer.

Upon the platform a is a standard 9 with a hearing at its upper end fora shaft carrying a dish 10 and pulley 11. The pulley 11 and a. pulleyupon the shaft of the rotary vacuum pump 0 are surrounded by a belt 12which communicates the rotation of the pump to the pulley 11, its shaft,the disk 10 and a connecting rod 1', which connecting rod extendsto thevalve in the valve case 70 hereinafter described.

The tubular body 91 is formed with a neck 6 receiving the pipe 6providing for the entrance into the apparatus of the dust laden air.This neck 6 in a vertical direction is throughout of correspondingheight but horizontally the same is contracted as shown in Fig. 5, to anarrow long opening which enters the tubular body tangentially; theopening being rectangular as shown in Fig. 2, all with the object ofincreasing the speed of the entering dust laden air and impart- 'ing arapid circular motion to the same which is preferably increased by thedownwardly contracted or conical shape of the tubular body at the end 9the rectangular orifice being indicated at 13 and the neck 6 beingprovided with a clean-out e and which upon its removal provides for theintroduction of a wire or other instrumentality for removing any depositof dust from the walls of the neck.

The cover f is centrally perforated and interiorly threaded for a tapersleeve Ilwhich at its upper end receives the pipe f providing for theentrance of water.v This sleeve Z has a contracted lower end and centraloritice and within the sleevethere is a screwhead m perforated, with astem and a conical valve mg the inclination or taper of whose surfaceagrees substantially with the taper at the end of the sleeve l. lheseparts are shown particularly in Figs. 2, 3, 4: and 5, in which Fig. 2is-a vertical section and partial elevation, Fig. -3 is an elevation ofthe screw-head and the conical valve and Fig. 4 a plan and Fig. 5 ahorizontal section through the tubular body and contracted portion ofthe neck thereof.

In and around the surface of theconical valve m is a spiral groove 14starting at the evaaio upper edge and extending into the conicalportions; the water entering by the pipe f passes through theperforations of the screw-head m and through the spiral groove of theconical valve m and through the orifice in the lower endof the sleeve Zthe said spiral groove imparting to the water a rapid circular motionwhich converts the water into a spray or mist as it emerges from theorifice at the lower end of the sleeve Z; a circular movement beinggiven to this spray or in other words, a whirling action within thetubular body g and its conical end g The rapidly rotating dust laden airand the whirling water spray within the tubular body g and its conicalend g are by virtue of their respective movements thoroughly commingledand all the particles of dust and bacteria or other life in the dust ofthe dust laden air thoroughly wet, thus insuring absolute separationfrom the air, its specific gravity increased and the pressure causesadownward movement with force through the pipe h to the bottom of theliquid holding vessel d, Where. the air and moistened dust comminglewith the water in the vessel; the water retaining the dust and the airrising through the perforations of the diaphragm i into the upper partof the vessel d above the water and then passing through the septum 3and through the piped to and through the vacuum pump 0; the said pumpproducing the necessary vacuum through the entire apparatus and theflexible hose that is to be connected to the free end of the pipe e andwhich in its turn carries one or other of the cleaning appliancesapplied to furniture or carpets for the removal of the dust; the airwhen itreaches the vacuum pump being practically purified and dry is fitto be delivered through the perforations of the mufiier into theatmosphere.

In the valve case is I provide a central auxiliary case 15 with fourports, two, 20 and 22, being opposite and substantially in a verticalline and two, 21 and :23, substan-- tially opposite in a horizontal lineand within this auxiliary case 15 is a three-way rockenvalve 0, or inother words, a rockervalve with three openings, two of which are adaptedto coincide with adjacent ports in the valve case 15 while the other twoports are shut oil. This rocker-valve is of tapering form preferablyprovided with a stem '0 passingthrough the right hand end of the valvecase Fig. 8, and provided with tightening nuts 16, there being bypreference a hollow portion 17 of the valve case to receive lubricatingmaterial for lubricating space for the water of the liquid holdingvessel d and on the opposite side between the auxiliary case 15 and thevalve case a curved air passageway opening up from the pipe and at theupper end of the valve case terminating in an annulus cap 18 and gauze19;' the said valve case at the annulus cap providing for the entranceof air into the passage-way beneath the gauze 19 communicating with theupper end "of thepipe 70 In the operation of this valve Figs. 6 and 7show the respective posit-ions of the valve as the same is rocked by theaction of the connecting rod '1', disk 10, pulley 11 and belt 12 fromthe shaft of the pump 0. In the position Fig. 6 it will be noticed thatthe ports 20 and 21 are closed'while the ports 22 and 23 are open, thusshutting off any communication of air from without to within the vesseld and permittin the water from the vessel d to flow into the hollowvalve and the air in the valve 0 to enter the vessel 05 by the port 22.J p 7 Fig. '4" shows the other position of this valve 0 in which theports 22 and 23 are closed and the ports 20 21 open. This latterposition prevents communication with the interior of the vessel (Z,permits the air passing through the gauze 19 to enter the port 21 of thehollow valve, balancing any internal and external pressure and the dirtywater to be delivered from within the valve through the port 20 into thepipe 70 to flow away, and this valve 0 is continuously rocked from oneposition to the other so as to receive the dirty water from the vessel(5 and deliver the same into the pipe 76 in proportion to the extent ofwater-which enters the vessel al through the pipe f and spraying deviceshown in Fig. 3.

I have shown in Fig. 10, a modification of this valve device in which areciprocating valve 6 is movable longitudinally in the valve case In,crossing a vertically disposed discharge pipe 25 intothe tubular member25 these parts being provided with the same annulus cap 18 gauze 19 andthe reciprocating valve having a reduced part, which in its extremeposition'in one end as shown in Fig. 10, alines with the openings in thevalve case and receives a proportion of water equal to its reduced area.As this is moved along, this proportion of water will be moved with itwithin the case and will be closed off with this progressive movementand the reduced portion of the. reciprocating valve be brought intoalinement with the discharge pipe 25 and with the return of the valveadditional water will be taken and the operations repeated.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 11 and 12, similar letters ofreference have been employed denoting similar parts in the otherfigures; therefore the description of said parts and their function isunapparatus.

necessary. In this form of my invention (Figs. 11 and 12) I have shownthe portable form of my invention. In this structure I dispense with thedevices for the entering water and spraying shown in Figs. 2 to 5inclusive, and use over and over again the water in the vessel d untilthe same requires removal and replenishing; the valve device shown inFigs. 6 to 9 inclusive in the valve case 70 being retained and otherparts carrying similar numbers of reference also being retained. In thisform of my invention, the pipes connects by a T-union with the dischargepipe 10 from the valve 0 and to this pipe 8 usual flexible connectionsand cleaning devices intended to be used therewith for cleaning are tobe connected, a pipe 8v extends from the T-union, rises outside of theliquid holding vessel d and opens into the mixing chamber; the pipe 1 asheretofore described extending to the rotary vacuum pump. The place ofentrance of the pipe 8 into this mixing chamber is preferablyconstructed tangentially as heretofore described with reference to Figs.2 and 5. In this form of my invention, the air is drawn by the pumpthrough the pipe at and through the liquid holding vessel and throughthe pipes s s and the cleaning devices at the end thereof, and the sameis moistened by the water discharged through the valve is into the pipe10 and trap formed at the lower end of this pipe at its union with thepipes s s, and this dust-laden air takes up this water and carries thesame through the pipe s 100 into the mixing chamber; said materialspassing down the pipe it into the vessel (1 and the overflow passingback through the valve in the valve case A: and down into the trapformation produced as shown in Fig. 105 12 by the construction of theparts described.

The devices shown in Figs. 11 and 12, are particularly adapted for usewith a portable In such apparatus the body of water in the vessel (1must be depended upon 1m to do the work required and is used over andover again to moisten the dust of the dust laden air. l Vhen the waterin this vessel is too dirty it is removed and replaced with fresh waterand the operations repeated. v

lVhile I have shown one form of valve in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive andlocated at the pre-- determined level of the water in the vessel d, andan alternate and equivalent form of 12}? valve in Fig. 110, I do notlimit my invention to either form of valve, only to the employment of asuitable valve so located .to perform this delivery function.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a vacuum cleaning apparatus the combination with a liquid holdingvessel and a pipe for air extending axially therein. of a mixing chamberat the upper end of said vessel connecting with said pipe, means 139providing for the entrance of dust-laden air into said mixing chambertangentially to the same whereby a circular motion is imparted to saiddust-laden air and means providing for the entrance of water also intosaid mixing chamber and for ccmminuting the same into a spray to moistenthe entering dust of the dust laden air.

2. In a vacuum cleaning combination with a liquid holding vessel and apipe for air extending axially therein, of a tubular body mixing chamberat the upper end of said vessel connecting with said pipe, a pipe forthe dust-laden air, a neck formed with said mixing chamber and to whichsaid pipe is connected, said neck providing a tangentially disposedinlet from said ipe into said tubular body, and means providing for theentrance of water and for comminuting the same into a spray within saidtubular body to moist-en the dust of the dust-laden air.

3. In a vacuum cleaning apparatus the combination with a liquid. holdingvessel and a central pipe therein, oi a mixing chamber at the upper endof said vessed connecting' with said pipe, a pipe for the dustladen air,a neck formed with said mixing chamber and to which said pipe is connected, said neck providing a tangentially disposed inlet from said pipeinto said mixing chamber, whereby said opening in said neck is high andnarrow and the opening in the chamber rectangular and in height ofgreatest extent, a water inlet device formed by a sleeve Z contracted atits lower end and provided with an orifice, and a regulatable devicewithin said sleeve comprising a screwhead and conical valve and aspiralgroove formed around the conical valve and terminating in the conicalpart, and-the screw head being perforated for the passage of the water,said devices imparting to the entering water a swift rotary motion sothat the water as it emerges from the orifice at the end of the sleeve Zis reduced to a spray.

l. In a vacuum cleaning apparatus, the combination with a liquid holdingvessel, means for exhausting the air from said liquid holding vessel, "avalve and a valve apparatus the case therefor outside the liquid holdingvessel and located at a predetermined level of the water in said liquidholding vessel and connected therewith, and means for actuating saidvalve for periodically discharging the overflow of water into theatmosphere while maintaining the vacuum in said liquid holding vessel.

5. In a vacuum cleaning apparatus, the combination with a liquid holdingvessel, means associated therewith and providing into said liquidholding vessel of the dust laden air and water in the form of a spray, asuitably located casing comprising a mixing chamber in which the waterand the dust of the air are commingled and the dust particles thoroughlymoistened, a pipe conveying the air and moistened dust down through theliquid holding vessel and discharging the same into the liquid at thebottom of the vesseh'a valve and valve case connected with said liquidholding vessel at a predetermined level of the water therein and meansfor actuating the valve for discharging the accumulation or surplus ofdirty water into the atmosphere while maintaining the vacuum in saidliquid holding vessel,

6. ln a vacuum cleaning apparatus and in combination, a liquid holdingvessel, means for exhausting the air from said liquid hold ing vessel,acentrally located casing comprising a mixing chamber within said vesseland near the upper end thereof, a pipe pro viding for the entrance ofair into said mixing chamber, a pipe providing for the entrance of wateralso into said mixing chainber, adjust-able devices for comminuting saidentering water into a spray and delivering the same simultaneous withthe delivery of the dust laden air for the thorough moisten ing of thedust and particles in the air in said chamberf 7. 111 a vacuum cleaningapparatus and in combination, a liquid holding vessel, a mixing chamberat the upper end of said vessel and a pipe therefrom passing down intothe water of said vessel, a neck extending out from said mixing chamber,the opening in which is arranged tangentially to the mixing chamber, apipe connected with the neck providing for the entrance of dust ladenair into the mixing chamber for imparting thereto a circular motion, apipe for water entering the mixing chamber and an adjustable device inthe lower end of said pipe in part spirally grooved and a nozzle to saidpipe for comminuting the entering water into a spray so that the sprayalso in rotary motion thoroughly mixes with the particles of the dust inthe air and wets the same prior to the delivery of the dust into theliquidholding vessel.

8. In a vacuum cleaning apparatus and in combination, a liquid holdingvessel, an interior chamber at the upper end of said vessel, a neckextending out from said chamber,

the opening channel in which is arranged tangentially to the mixingchamber, a pipe connected with the neck providing an inlet into saidchamber and a pipe depending from I said chamber and extending downthrough the liquid holding vessel to near the bottom thereofl i 9. In avacuum cleaning apparatus and in combination, a liquid holding vessel,an interior chamber at the upper end of-said vessel, a neck extendingout from said chamber, the opening channel in which is arrangedtangentially to the mixing chamber, a pipe connected with the neckproviding an inlet into said chamber, a plpe depending irom said chamberand extending down through the liquid holding vessel to near the bottom-.hereof, and avalve and valve casing at a predetermined water level ofsaid liquid holding vessel and a discharge pipe therefrom.

10. In a vacuum cleaning apparatus and in combination, a liquid holdingvessel, an interior chamber at the upper end of said vessel in partparallel sided and in part tapering toward the lower end thereof, a neckextending outfrom said chamber the opening channel in which is arrangedtangentially to the mixing chamber, a pipe, connected with the neckproviding an inlet into said chamber and a pipe depending from saidchamber and extending down through the liquid holding'vessel to nearthebottom thereof.

Signed by me this 28th day of October 1908.

LEMUEL WILLIAM SERRELL.

\Vitnesses GEO. T. PINCKNEY, E. ZACHARTASEN.

